May 24-31, 2012

May Events

May 24, 2012. WINE AND FOOD: THE FRENCH AMERICAN CONNECTION. The FACCSF, in partnership with the Stanford Club of Marin is happy to invite you to this French & American Wine Event. Come savor a special tasting of Napa and Sonoma wines made in the French style from four superb wineries together with a unique menu of appetizers from local Marin chef Scott Howard. This event will feature wines poured by representatives of sought after vineyards such as Hanzell Vineyards, Audelssa Winery, Five Grapes and the Lasseter Family Winery at private rooms at the Brick & Bottle Restaurant in Corte Madera. Guests of members are welcomed!Enjoy French style sparkling wines, Rose’s and Rhone style reds, along with red and white wines made in the Burgundy and Bordeaux styles. Share your opinions with winery representatives. These wines will be paired with a unique selection of snacks and appetizers created by local Marin chef Scott Howard, executive chef of Brick & Bottle. Brick & Bottle Restaurant, 44 Tamalpais Drive, Corte Madera. $45. 6:30pm-8:30pm. www.faccsf.com or 415.442.4717 for details.

May 24, 2012. SWISSNEX SAN FRANCISCO presents SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SCIENCE OUTREACH. The ScienceOnline Bay Area (SOBA) community gathers to discuss how social media can be utilized for science outreach. swissnex San Francisco, 730 Montgomery St., SF. 7PM. http://swissnexsanfrancisco.org//

May 24, 2012. THE SYMBOLIC OF COLOR. Larissa Noury, of Slavic origin, is an atypical artist. She lives and works in Paris, Montmartre since 1998. Whether through her paintings or her photo-engravings on tissue, she seeks to create a harmony of tactile light and immaterial colors. Her style is original and inventive. Her work expresses a world born from her high sensitivity: the color layers are superimposed as strata and give free reign to the imagination. The employed artistic means are both unique and universal; they are a mix of quasi-musical movements, forms, and color harmonies. Everything seems simple, but this poetic space is nevertheless a very unique and astonishing pictorial universe: no center of gravity, without borders, without any forms that could be clearly defined. But we shouldn’t be mistaken; the impulsive forces of her compositions are just the opposite of simplicity. www.larinoury.fr or www.CEC.larinoury.fr or http://alliance-francaise-sf.weebly.com/expos-artistiques.html
Alliance Française de San Francisco, 1345 Bush St., SF. 6:30pm. 415.775.7755 or www.afsf.com for details.

May 24-June 17, 2012. GOD OF CARNAGE, by YASMINA REZA, translated by Christopher Hampton, at MARIN THEATRE COMPANY. The hysterical hit Broadway comedy is finally coming to the North Bay! You’ve never laughed so hard until you’ve seen this action-packed, knockout farce, which won the 2009 Tony Award for Best Play and 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. Following a playground fight between their 11-year-old sons, the Raleighs agree to meet the Novaks to discuss the situation civilly. However, the veneer of middle-class manners soon falls away as the couples regress to childish accusations, bullying and bickering. http://www.marintheatre.org/satellitepages/11-12-season.php for details.

May 25, 2012. CELEBRATING JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER. Friday Nights at the de Young, 5pm-8:45pm.

May 25-27, 2012. PLAYWRIGHTS FOUNDATION presents DES VOIX… FOUND IN TRANSLATION, at Z Space. Witness history in the making experience 3 brand new plays by hot, young French playwrights translated by the Bay Area's fiercest artist/scholars. And don't miss the festival special events: the Bal Littéraire a new play nightclub imported directly from the French Avant-Garde, and the Colloquium on International Playwriting featuring Laurent Muhleisen from Paris and Judith Miller from NYU. DES VOIX FOUND IN TRANSLATION is an exciting festival of staged readings of new plays by contemporary French playwrights, newly translated into English. After each play the audience will have an opportunity to discuss the play with the playwrights and translators. Tickets for each event may be purchased individually, and with VIP* Seating, or go to all events with a Festival Pass, which includes VIP* treatment at a 40% discount. *VIP Tickets include the best seats in the house, reserved, and a glass of wine or soft drink! THE SCHEDULE: Friday, May 25, 7pm: Opening Event Bal Littéraire: A New Play Nightclub Saturday, May 26, 4pm: Communique N10 Saturday, May 26, 8pm: Pride, Pursuit, and Decapitation Sunday, May 27, 11am-3pm: Colloquium (Free) Sunday, May 27, 5pm: Out There THE PLAYS (in order of performance): COMMUNIQUE N10 by Samuel Gallet Built like a puzzle, and set in a slightly futuristic megalopolis surrounded by a wasteland where refugees and rebels seek refuge, Gallet's play is neither strictly realistic, nor a thriller, nor a hallucinated vision of the future, but all three simultaneously. PRIDE, PURSUIT, AND DECAPITATION by Marion Aubert A ferocious and unsparing comedy in which a mad playwright conjures up a whirlwind of hilarious unhinged scenes in lurid color to depict the everyday insanity of our world. OUT THERE by Nathalie Fillion While global markets collapse and sound investments dissolve, Jean, a depressed man in his forties, propelled into euphoria by a new anti-depressant, prepares to sell off the family's properties. A highly-charged Chechkovian family drama for the 21st century. THE SPECIAL EVENTS BAL LITTERAIRE: A NEW PLAY NIGHTCLUB Performed for one evening only! "Bal Littéraire" created by French and American playwrights the week of the festival, is presented in association with Litquake. The engaging evening "tells a story, a story with songs we can all dance to" as it unfolds in a celebratory club atmosphere with audience and artists dancing between scenes, a no-host bar and food. COLLOQUIUM ON INTERNATIONAL PLAYWRITING Led by Judith Miller, the foremost American translator of French plays, and Laurent Muhleisen, foremost international translator, and executive director of the Maison Antoine Vitez in Paris. Conversations with the audience as a think-tank exploration of Theater, Language and Culture. ABOUT: This festival is a major new international exchange project between Playwrights Foundation, a legendary new play development organization in San Francisco, and the Maison Antoine Vitez (MAV), the International Centre for Drama Translation in Paris, in an exchange that exposes the work of the newest and most innovative contemporary playwrights to audiences in both countries, sharing ideas and perspectives of today's world, and increasing and deepening cultural exchanges between France and the U.S. The San Francisco festival will feature translations of wildly provocative new plays by three of the most innovative emerging playwrights working in France today. Plays by Marion Aubert, Samuel Gallet, and Nathalie Fillion, will be performed in English during a Festival, scheduled from May 25-27, 2012, in partnership with Z Space, a theater located in San Francisco's vibrant, cutting-edge Mission District. www.desvoixfestival.com for details.

May 25-28, 2012. TOM RIGNEY & FLAMBEAU perform at the SACRAMENTO MUSIC FESTIVAL. One of our favorite annual events--four days of great music--Jazz, Blues, Zydeco, Swing, Rock and Roll, AND FLAMBEAU!! 2011 Emperor Tom Rigney will pass the crown to the new Emperor, Bob Ringwald. This great festival takes place all over Sacramento and the music goes from 10:00 am until 11:00 pm. We will play ten sets over the four days, showtimes TBA. Information and tickets: www.sacjazz.com or www.rigomania.com for details.

May 26, 2012. DOCENT LECTURE by JULIA GEIST on JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER. 1pm. De Young Museum, San Francisco. www.famsf.org for details.

May 29, 2012. LA FILLE MAL GARDEE, based on the 1789 painting by PIERRE-ANTOINE BAUDOUIN and originally choreographed by JEAN DAUBERVAL. Delightful comedy and virtuosic choreography abound in Frederick Ashton's sunny production about a young woman, her suitor, and her larger-than-life mother who tries to marry her off to the simpleton son of a rich neighbor. Using music from several composers, this amusing romp is perfect for newcomers to ballet and irresistible to audiences of all ages. 118 min. Smith-Rafael Cinema, San Rafael. From the Royal Ballet, London, Sunday, May 20, 10am, Tuesday, May 29, 6:30, $15 (CFI members and children $12). www.cafilm.org for details.

May 29, 2012. CAROLYN BURKE, author of NO REGRETS: THE LIFE OF EDITH PIAF, with musical accompaniment by local chanteuse BETTY ROI.
Presented by City Lights in conjunction with Litquake’s Epicenter Reading Series. The iconic French singer comes to life in Carolyn Burke‘s biography, which captures Edith Piaf’s immense charisma along with the time and place that gave rise to her international career. Raised by turns in a brothel, a circus caravan, and a working-class Parisian neighborhood, Piaf began singing on the city’s streets, where she was discovered by a Champs Elysées cabaret owner. She became a star almost overnight, seducing all of Paris with her passionate voice, and No Regrets explores her meteoric rise; her tumultuous love affairs; and her struggles with drugs, alcohol, and illness. Piaf was an unlikely student of poetry and philosophy who aided Resistance efforts in World War II, wrote the lyrics for nearly 100 songs, including “La vie en rose,” and was a crucial mentor to younger singers such as Yves Montand and Charles Aznavour. Burke demonstrates how, with her courage, her incomparable art, and her universal appeal, “the little sparrow” endures as a symbol of France and a source of inspiration to entertainers the world over. 7:00 P.M.
Tosca Cafe, 242 Columbus Avenue San Francisco, CA 94133. http://frenchculturesf.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/an-evening-of-readings-and-music-celebrating-the-life-of-edith-piaf/

May 29, 2012. MIDNITE RAMBLERS play CAJUN/CREOLE at Ashkenaz. Three of the Bay Area's top traditional musicians teamed up a few years ago to form the Midnite Ramblers, playing roots music steeped in Cajun and Creole traditions. They deliver irresistibly danceable Cajun classics. A year of intense musical experiences in Louisiana has made the Ramblers' sound even more authentic to the Cajun tradition. Singer and fiddler Agi Ban is also a founder of the Aux Cajunals. Accordion player and fiddler Mark Marcin is a former teacher at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette, where his love of Cajun, Creole, and zydeco music led to learning accordion from Ray Abshire, Jimmy Breaux, and others. He studied fiddle with Suzy Thompson and Cedric Watson. Singer-guitarist Julay Brooks has long played music in local roots bands, especially country and bluegrass (Honky Tonk Dreamers), but seeing the Pine Leaf Boys at Ashkenaz led her naturally into Cajun music (she now plays with Creole Belles), and in 2008 Ban recruited her and Marcin to form the Midnite Ramblers. As Marcin proclaims, "Bring your dancing shoes and join the Midnite Ramblers for a night of lively two-steps, soulful blues and haunting waltzes!" Doors at 7:30 pm; Cajun/Zydeco dance lesson with Cheryl McBride at 8:00 pm; Show at 8:30 pm $10 . www.ashkenaz.com for details.

May 31, 2012 SWISSNEX SAN FRANCISCO presents TO EXPLORE = TO LOVE. In conjunction with TYPES WE CAN MAKE, San Francisco educator and author Carolina de Bartolo shares thoughts on the process of exploring typography. swissnex San Francisco, 730 Montgomery St., SF. 6:30pm. http://swissnexsanfrancisco.org//

Through July 20, 2012. CONTEMPORARY FRENCH WOMEN FILMMAKERS – 7 EVENTS. There have been precious few studies specifically of women directors. Those which have appeared have been faced with the task of naming and representing the diversity of films created by women in France. Françoise Audé, author of one of the earliest studies of the field, has recently published a sequel. She takes stock of the changes women have effected in the French film industry, writing: 'd'une manière décisive elles ont participé au renouvellement d'un cinéma dont elles ont déplacé et élargi les limites' « decisively they helped renew a cinema of which they have moved and expanded the boundaries' http://www.frenchfilmclubofpaloalto.org/

CINEMA

You will find here below details on special screenings.
All titles are listed in alphabetical order, with special dates given in red.. .
Check local listings for show times!

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN. Castro, SF.

CONTEMPORARY FRENCH WOMEN FILMMAKERS – 7 EVENTS. There have been precious few studies specifically of women directors. Those which have appeared have been faced with the task of naming and representing the diversity of films created by women in France. Françoise Audé, author of one of the earliest studies of the field, has recently published a sequel. She takes stock of the changes women have effected in the French film industry, writing: 'd'une manière décisive elles ont participé au renouvellement d'un cinéma dont elles ont déplacé et élargi les limites' « decisively they helped renew a cinema of which they have moved and expanded the boundaries'Following this excerpt of a larger article published by Oxford Journals, we are working in selecting 7 films from the work of 7 contemporary french women directors. More detail will be published early April. http://www.frenchfilmclubofpaloalto.org/May 4-July 20, 2012.

ELLES. "Graphic sex scenes distinguish this tale of Anne (Juliette Binoche), a magazine writer whose blah life (sure, she has a luxurious apartment, but it's populated by a distant husband, a sullen teenager, and a younger son who'd rather interface with technology than humans) becomes even more unbearable when she begins a new assignment: an article on college students who moonlight as call girls. The always-reliable Binoche brings depth to her role as a bored woman who finds herself unexpectedly titillated by her close brush with dirty thrills...". NC-17. (1:36) Bridge, Shattuck; Lumiere. (Eddy)

ERIC ROHMER’s FOUR ADVENTURES OF REINETTE and MIRABELLE and LE RAYON VERT (SUMMER). Exclusive San Francisco return engagements at San Francisco Film Society Cinema. A double feature of delightful romantic dramas directed by Eric Rohmer, the charming Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle (4 aventures de Reinette et Mirabelle, France 1987) and the masterwork Le Rayon Vert (Summer) (Le rayon vert, France 1986) opens exclusive San Francisco engagement May 18 at SF Film Society Cinema (1746 Post Street). Over the course of the four episodes of Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle, two young women -- one from the city, the other from the country -- meet and bond over an exquisite atmospheric event just before daybreak known as the "Blue Hour" and then room together in Paris, where they encounter many of the inevitable characters of a modern city: a difficult waiter, a metro station hustler and a snooty gallery owner. The heart of Rohmer's delightful story develops the idea that the birth of art from natural environs is developed and enriched by the more rugged elements of urban life. Joëlle Miquel, who plays the rurally raised Reinette, also painted the works attributed to her character while well-known actor Fabrice Luchini uses his special brand of snobbery to play the gallerist. Written by Eric Rohmer. Photographed by Sophie Maintigneux. With Joëlle Miquel, Jessica Forde, Béatrice Romand, Fabrice Luchini. In French with subtitles. 95 min. Distributed by the Film Desk. Showtimes 4:30, 9:00 pm Declared the best movie of the year in 1986 by Andrew Sarris, Le Rayon Vert (Summer) is frequently cited as a career triumph in a filmography that includes numerous great films. Rohmer's tale, the fifth in his "Comedies & Proverbs" cycle, follows the independent but insecure Delphine (Marie Rivière), a newly single young Parisian who cannot find a holiday companion for the month of August, as she glides and stumbles in her longing for connection. Overhearing a discussion of Jules Verne's The Green Ray, Delphine becomes fascinated with seeing the elusive meteorological event and the promise that comes with it. Rohmer stock player Rivière, who assisted in writing her largely self-created role, delivers one of the most captivating lead performances in any of the filmmaker's works. Written by Eric Rohmer. Photographed by Sophie Maintigneux. With Béatrice Romand, Marie Rivière, Vincent Gauthier. In French with subtitles. 98 min. Distributed by the Film Desk. Showtimes 2:15, 6:45 pm. Tickets $9 for SFFS members, $11 general, $10 senior/student/disabled. Box office now open online at www.sffs.org and in person at SF Film Society Cinema.

THE FAIRY. Directed by Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon. France 2011, 93min. With Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon and Bruno Romy.Fiona Gordon and Dominique Abel, who wrote, directed and star in this comedy, have developed their own distinct style of performance, which mixes dance and silent film slapstick. They've honed it to perfection in this strange and mostly engaging film about mental patient who thinks she's a fairy.

LA FILLE MAL GARDEE, based on the 1789 painting by PIERRE-ANTOINE BAUDOUIN and originally choreographed by JEAN DAUBERVAL. Delightful comedy and virtuosic choreography abound in Frederick Ashton's sunny production about a young woman, her suitor, and her larger-than-life mother who tries to marry her off to the simpleton son of a rich neighbor. Using music from several composers, this amusing romp is perfect for newcomers to ballet and irresistible to audiences of all ages. 118 min. Smith-Rafael Cinema, San Rafael. From the Royal Ballet, London, Sunday, May 20, 10am, Tuesday, May 29, 6:30, $15 (CFI members and children $12). www.cafilm.org for details. May 29, 2012.

FOUR ADVENTURES OF REINETTE & MIRABELLE (Rohmer). San Francisco Film Society, www.sffs.org for details.

HUGO. Castro, SF.

THE INTOUCHABLES. Directed by Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano. 112 min, France 2011.With François Cluzet and Omar Sy. The Intouchables is the inspiring true story of two men who should never have met—a quadriplegic aristocrat who was injured in a paragliding accident and a young man from the projects. Opening soon in Bay Area theaters.

MONSIEUR LAZHAR. Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Language Film (Canada).The poignant story of a Montreal middle school class shaken by the death of their beloved teacher. Newly arrived Algerian immigrant Bachir Lazhar (Fellag) offers the school his services as a substitute teacher, and is quickly hired. As he helps the children heal, Bachir also learns to accept his own painful past. MONSIEUR LAZHAR features exquisite performances by Fellag and a stunning ensemble of child actors. Award-winning writer-director Philippe Falardeau’s fourth feature was adapted from the play “Bashir Lazhar” by Montreal playwright Evelyne de la Cheneliere. Best known in France for his stand up comedy, Fellag was born and raised in Algeria and worked extensively in theater until 1995 when he moved to Paris during the Algerian Civil War.Directed and written by Philippe Falardeau. Produced by Luc Déry and Kim McCraw. Edited by Stéphane Lafleur. Starring Fellag. A micro_scope (Incendies) production. 94 Minutes. In French with English Subtitles. For theater listings and more information, please visit: http://www.monsieurlazharmovie.com Smith-Rafael, San Rafael; Opera Plaza, SF.

POLISSE. Directed by Maiween (147 min, France 2011). With Karin Viard, Joeystarr, Marina Foïs, Nicolas Duvauchelle.Maïwenn's vibrant crime drama Polisse, a smash hit from France, follows the daily lives of a tightly-knit team of men and women working in the Child Protection Unit of the Parisian police. Basing her richly textured script on real child investigation cases, co-writer/director/co-star Maïwenn has gathered an accomplished ensemble cast of French actors.Winner of the Jury Prize at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Reviewed in the Sunday Datebook (pink pages) of the San Francisco Chronicle, May 20, 2012, pp.24-25. Embarcadero, SF; Shattuck, Berkeley; Smith-Rafael, San Rafael.

WE HAVE A POPE. Directed by Nanni Moretti. France/Italy 2011, 105mn. With Michel Piccoli, Jerzy Stuhr, Renato Scarpa, Franco Graziosi. Nanni Moretti joins forces with the great French actor Michel Piccoli to tell the story of Melville, a cardinal who suddenly finds himself elected as the next Pope.

ALSO NOTE: ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE DE SAN FRANCISCO CINEMATHEQUE. Second & Fourth Wednesdays of the month, 7pm. Enjoy the latest releases from France sur le grand ecran with AFSF ciné-philes and discussion en français. Straight from the AFSF Médiathèque. Visit http://www.afsf.com for updates on featured films. Suggested donation of $5.

ART

Through May 26, 2012. SPACED TOGETHER. A new exhibition of work by Misho & Johnny Botts. Combining very different mediums and styles, a selection of Misho’s abstract photographs is intertwined with Johnny’s painting of robots and futuristic sets. The result is a collection of art work that draws each artist into a new area for exploration. Over 10 works from the collaboration and many of our individual pieces will be on display. RSVP appreciated. http://www.mishogallery.com/

May 27, 2012. SUSAN PERRY HINKLE displays her miniature recreations of FRENCH HISTORICAL BUILDINGS, scaled to 1/12 their normal size at the Larkspur Flower, Food & Wine Festival. Over the years, she has developed techniques to fabricate everything from floor tiles to plants, street signs to bread. www.ruedesuze.com for further details.

Through May 28, 2012. DO NOT DESTROY: TREES, ART, & JEWISH THOUGHT. Including works by Swiss artist YVES BEHAR. Contemporary Jewish Museum, SF. 415.655.7800 or www.thecjm.org for details.

Through June 2, 2012. LE TRIANGLE celebrates the art and artists of THE FRENCH CLUB. Works by PIERRE FLANDREAU, JEAN-MARC BRUGEILLES, GEOFF BERNSTEIN. elsewhere Gallery, 1828 Sir Francis Drake, Fairfax. 415.454.6484 or www.elsewhere.com for details.

Through June 15, 2012. TYPES WE CAN MAKE. Curator and master typographer François Rappo and the current director of the University of Art and Design in Lausanne provide insights into the typography exhibition running from May 4 through June 15, 2012 at swissnex San Francisco. swissnex San Francisco, 730 Montgomery St., SF.

Through June 17, 2012. DESCRIPTIVE ACTS.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Language, performativity, and process are preoccupations for many contemporary artists. The works in Descriptive Acts engage with both text and image, foregrounding complex and often fraught acts of description, narration, translation, and communication. The exhibition is presented in two consecutive configurations: Act I (February 18 through April 15, 2012) features works by Aurélien Froment, Dora García, Shilpa Gupta, John Smith, and Tris Vonna-Michell; Act II (April 21 through June 17, 2012) highlights works by Anthony Discenza, Gupta, Lynn Marie Kirby and Li Xiaofei, Smith, and Vonna-Michell. This exhibition is temporarily closed April 16 through 20. For this occasion the French artist Aurélien Froment will present his vidéo “Pulmo Marina”
The film Pulmo Marina features a Phacellophora camtschatica, more commonly known as the egg-yolk jellyfish, as it drifts and swims behind the glass display of its tank home at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. A voiceover informs the viewer of its baroque but literally brainless anatomy, its voracious cannibalism and its classical forebears. The work consist of a single 5-minute long shot of a jellyfish seen through the window of an aquarium. The jellyfish’s constantly changing forms are enhanced by a blue and yellow contrast between the animal and the artificial plane dark background of the aquarium. A seemingly familiar voice over gives a description of the image borrowing lines from high definition flat screen advertising, zoological guides, mythologies and interviews conducted with the aquarists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium about the specificities of the tank. Shifting from a banal wildlife TV programme about a sea creature towards a description of the physical and architectural conditions of its display in the aquarium, the film looks at how the image pre-exist its own recording, approaching the window of the aquarium as a display device participating in the construction of the notion of the viewer, whose social life would shift from the collective experience of the museum towards the private experience of the computer screen. www.sfmoma.org for details.

Through July 1, 2012. THE ONE WHO SEES BLINDLY. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco. An iconoclastic artist, NATHALIE TALEC moves between live performance, installation, sculpture, and painting. For thirty years, she has developed her emotionally-charged “sentimental art,” proclaiming her ambition to re-enchant our daily lives. Through her work, Talec examines the human condition by reshuffling emotional affects—redistributing them into objects, words, and heroic characters—and creating scenarios that blur the boundary between reality and fiction, but which are held together by the figure of the artist, which is always at the core of her work. There will also be AMBIENT TEMPERATURES and SURVIVAL AND HEROISM CINEMA; see website for details. www.ybca.org for details. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. An iconoclastic artist, Nathalie Talec moves between live performance, installation, sculpture, and painting. For thirty years, she has developed her emotionally-charged “sentimental art,” proclaiming her ambition to re-enchant our daily lives. http://fcnl.locateandshare.com/sent/show/3f50ae99e7c38304e6395862ce4f182c

July 14-November 11, 2012. MARCEL DUCHAMP: THE BOOK AND THE BOX. Reva and David Logan Gallery of Illustrated Books, Palace of the Legion of Honor, SF. www.famsf.org for details.

Through August 19, 2012. THE FASHION WORLD OF JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER: FROM THE SIDEWALK TO THE CATWALK. Dubbed fashion’s “enfant terrible,” Gaultier catapulted into the fashion scene of the late 1970s, upending the status quo with his unconventional approach and deriving inspiration from television, film, music, and street culture. De Young, Herbst Exhibition Galleries, http://www.famsf.org for details.

Opening September 15, 2012. THE WILLIAM S. PALEY COLLECTION: A TASTE FOR MODERNISM. Paintings, sculptures and drawings from many artists associated with the School of Paris and the Nabis School, and the evolution of modernism, including works by MATISSE, CEZANNE, PICASSO, TOULOUSE-LAUTREC, DEGAS, DERAIN, GAUGUIN, ROUAULT, BONNARD and VUILLARD. De Young Museum, San Francisco. www.famsf.org for details.

On-going. WHY NOT MAKE IT BEAUTIFUL? FRENCH TRAVEL POSTERS, 1945-1949, presented by the Nevada State Museum. French travel posters given to Nevada in 1949 in gratitude for American support following World War II will make their debut at the Nevada State Museum beginning May 23. Commissioned and printed by the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français, the French National Railways, the 21 posters depict stunning French landscapes, historical provinces and cultural regions. Why Not Make it Beautiful? French Travel Posters 1945-1949 features artwork carried aboard the Merci Boxcar, or Gratitude Train, in February of 1949. Research indicates that all states received a set of posters, yet only three appear to have retained possession of their collection, and Nevada will be the only state to exhibit them. Staff from the Nevada State Museum and Nevada State Archives restored the posters for the exhibit generously sponsored by Hazel Woodgate and the John and Grace Naumann Foundation. In 1947 the American people collected 700 boxcars loaded with food, clothing and fuel to help the people of France who were struggling desperately to recover from World War II. This "Friendship Train" stopped in Reno to collect the food gathered from all across the state of Nevada. In 1949 the French people collected a trainload of gifts for the Americans, filling 49 boxcars with tokens and treasures from the French provinces, one for each state and one to be shared between Hawaii and Washington D.C. The existence of these trains, and a time when international friendship was on a citizen-to-citizen scale is nearly forgotten. Most Nevadans have little knowledge of this chapter in our history. The notes and the significance of the gifts represent the best of humanity; the kindness that humans can give and share in the face of great suffering, the deep connection possible across cultural and spatial boundaries. Nevada State Museum/Bretzlaff History Resource Center Hours: 8:30 to 4:30 Wed. - Sat. by appointment 775/687-4810, x240 or
SueAnn.Monteleone@nevadaculture.org or http://museums.nevadaculture.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=431

Ongoing. MUSIC OF THE DIASPORA. Museum of the African Diaspora, 685 Mission St., SF. 415.358.7200 or www.moadsf.org.

Ongoing. SURREALISM: SELECTIONS FROM THE REVA AND DAVID LOGAN COLLECTION OF ILLUSTRATED BOOKS.Found or random objects, textures, and imagery were central to Surrealism, as was the acceptance of dreams as worthy subject matter. Surrealism was as much a literary movement as an artistic one, and it involved an extraordinary number of the leading writers and poets of the day at one time or another. This exhibition brings together the works of some of the finest Surrealist poets and artists, whose collaborations produced both luxurious and outrageous artist’s books.California Palace of the Legion of Honor,Lincoln Park, 34th & Clement, San Francisco http://legionofhonor.famsf.org/

On-going. A NEW 19TH CENTURY : THE MONDAVI FAMILY GALLERY REINSTALLED. Reconfigured 19th century European and American collections. Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University. Lomita Drive and Museum Way, Stanford University, Palo Alto. 650.723.4177 or http://museum.stanford.edu for details.

On-going. MODERN EUROPEAN MASTERS, including MATISSE, PICASSO, CHAGALL and more. Meyerovich Gallery, 251 Post, SF. 415.421.7171 or http://meyerovich.com for details.

On-going. MATISSE AND BEYOND: THE PAINTING AND SCULPTURE COLLECTION. SF Museum of Modern Art. Magnificent works of painting and sculpture culled from SFMOMA's own collections provide a quick tour of modern art from Fauvism to Minimalism. Daily. Exhibition tells the story of modern and contemporary art including landmark works by MATISSE, BOURGEOIS and others. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 151 Third St., San Francisco. 415.357.4000 or www.sfmoma.org

DOMINIQUE AMENDOLA. New art website of note (fun to browse): Dominique Amendola is a French born painter who focuses primarily on landscapes and figures using gorgeously vibrant colors to create scenes of amazing clarity. Her art is figurative yet remains contemporary and spur of the moment. Her paintings depict ordinary day-to-day life of people in snapshots, either in nature or life in a bustling city. http://dominiqueamendola.com

ARTS OF FASHION. Yearly competition brings guest designers from PARIS and BRUXELLES to work with and select prizes for United States fashion students. The grand prizes offered to the US fashion students are internships in high profile fashion design houses as Castelbajac or Anne Valerie Hash or the school of the Chambre syndicale in Paris... Or Brussels for La Cambre or Antwerp for Veronique Branquinho or Vienna for Wendy&Jim... Contact: Nathalie Doucet, President Arts of Fashion Foundation, 635 Tennessee Street Suite # 402, San Francisco CA 94107. Tel 415 252 0734 http://www.af-competition.com or http://www.myspace.com/artsoffashion

FLORENCE DE BRETAGNE. Florence de Bretagne is a French painter and photographer. Her work is full of joy and very colorful. It has always something to do with new life : imaginary plants that are flourishing, blossoms, seeds. It seems that nature is new and beautiful like new-born babies. She took abstract pictures of fruits and vegetables (a very poetic book, "Semence", is still available), she made paintings on trees and imaginary plants, and many others. You can see her work either in the SFMOMA gallery at Fort Mason, or in her atelier (756 Garland Drive in Palo Alto), or else on her website : http://www.florencedebretagne.com

CONTEMPORARY LANDSCAPES OF SOUTHERN FRANCE, by ANDREA WEDELL. Expat Andrea Wedell, originally from the Bay Area and living in France for the past 24 years, would love for you to visit her painting : contemporary landscapes of Southern France. She works with texture and vibrant, bold color that is built up in multiple layers and glazed on. Her landscapes are semi-abstract to abstract poetic interpretations of her environment in Cassis, or bits and pieces of it as she sees and feels it– from lively, magical gardens with their sweet smells , to turquoise and deep orange underwater scenes, pink and bright white cliffs built up over millions of years, villages that have retained their authentic charm, sparkling ocean and wide expanses of sky. You can see her work virtually on her website : www.gallerywedell.com If you sign up on the blog, you will receive monthly posts, a journal of art and life in the South of France. www.gallerywedell.com/blog

June 2012. SHORT- AND WEEK-LONG COURSES AT LATITUDE, LA TOULZANIE! Lot Valley, France. Three week-long June courses/workshops at the Latitude Cultural Center in La Toulzanie, a tiny riverside hamlet (lieu-dit) in the never-industrialized Lot Valley, about 45 km East of Cahors) France.. Latitude’s hq is a 14th century mill. There is a pool (near the converted tobacco hangar) on the grounds, available to participants. CLASSES THIS YEAR: June 17-23, 2012. PAINTING THE COLORS OF SOUTHWEST FRANCE. Facilitator: Rob O'Brien has conducted 2 watercolor workshops at Latitude. Vermont watercolorist Rob has won many prizes for his work. He is a laid-back teacher who, past participants say, is a terrific teacher! You can see his work at his website: http://www.robertjobrien.com/. Participants will paint every morning (except the free day,Wednesday, and Sunday when we go to the nearby market --of course there's no law against bringing paints along!) at nearby sites. In the past, these have included the village of Cenévières (with its Michelin-starred castle) and La Toulzanie (the headquarters of Latitude). Rob will offer gentle instruction. For all levels of previouis accomplishment--from the rank beginner to the very experienced! . http://www.latitude.org/ for details on classes! (2) June 23-30, 2012. A TASTE OF SOUTHWEST FRANCE. Afternoons( mainly). Instructors:E. Barbara Phillips, Professor Emerita of Sociology & Urban Studies, San Francisco State University, and local historians, artisans, producers, castle-owners. Discover culinary/social history of Quercy in southwest France (emphasis: the Department of Lot; Cahors remains its capital) via visits/discussions with farmers and artisans who continue to produce gastronomic specialities in traditional ways. "Cazelles" (shepherds' drystone huts), "pigeonniers" (dovecotes) & other Quercynois architectural gems will be pointed out. Guided tours of a Renaissance (and earlier) castle and the beautiful, artsy medieval village of St. Cirq Lapopie . Special visit to the 25,000 (at least) year-old cave paintings in nearby Pech-Merle (not a facsimile; rated 3 stars by Michelin). Explore connections between food, family life, & national identity. Notes: (1) The Lot is a leading producer of foie gras in the world. But, no "gavage" (the forced feeding of geese or ducks) is included here. If you wish to see this practice, we can arrange a visit to a duck farm. (2) The Lot is also a big truffle producer, but the truffle markets are held locally in winter. Chef/bistro owner Todd Kniess of the Bistro Liaison in Berkeley will host another truffle-hunting trip in Winter, 2013 if you wish to enjoy this "black gold" treasure and see how they are hunted. In summer, alas, the truffle hunts are over and so are the local truffle markets. There is a nearby truffle museum, however, and a trip there can be easily arranged. http://www.latitude.org/ for details on classes! (3) June 28-29, 2012. A GREAT LEAP BACKWARD! An exploration of the psyche in paleolithic caves, and the cave in the psyche. Facilitator: Adrienne Amundsen. Adrienne is a psychologist in private practice and a traveller (e.g., Afghanistan) from the San Francisco Bay Area. She is also a poet and experienced workshop leader, particularly of rituals. Together with her husband, Doug Coffee (an attorney and impassioned historian), she offered a course in 2005 at Latitude which focused on paleolithic art and the history of nearby caves. In 2012, the course will emphasize the nature of creativity. Participants will explore the nature of early humans, the emergence of art, various theories about the creation of cave art, the practice of shamanism, and the neuropsychological aspects of altered states. (She has taught versions of this course in Australia and the U.S.) Participants will visit several caves and enjoy what she calls " the beautiful countryside around La Toulzanie." There will be opportunities for participants to work in a leisurely manner on their own creative projects, particularly writing. CEU's for psychologists and MFT's are available. Also offered: CREATIVE LOITERING IN THE LOT. Photography workshop with Jeff Berner, author of 14 photography books and lifelong photographer. Cost of this short course: 1/3 the cost of a week-long course. http://www.latitude.org/ for details on classes! Details about all courses at www.latitude.org. PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU SEEK A PLACE FOR A SEMINAR OR WORKSHOP: A very beautiful, historic,14th century mill in La Toulzanie is available as a very special place. The price per week (Saturday to Saturday) depends on the time of year. Nearby is a new, lovely hotel looking directly at St. Cirq Lapopie, one of France's most beautiful villages. The mill is located on (and in) the river Lot. It sleeps 5 and features the original huge hearth, circular stone staircase, and footbridge. The grand salon is a lovely room with a long, wooden table suitable for seminars and meals. A swimming pool, 2 minutes on foot from the mill, and a rowboat and fishing gear at the mill, are included. Photos at www.latitude.org . For availability, please contact Latitude’s manager, Neil Buffée at gemeaux3@wanadoo.fr.

June 2, 2012. NEXT SATURDAY PRONUNCIATION INTENSIVE. Level: Intermediate to Advanced. Levels 2 to 3 may take the first 2 hours of the course if space is available. Levels 4 and 5 may take the entire course upon level assessment. Please call us to schedule an evaluation. Presented by Dominique Brémond. $85. Includes handouts. Snacks & drinks (including wine and cheese) provided during the breaks. This workshop will change your understanding of French sounds forever and will definitely improve your pronunciation and subsequently, your comprehension. This intensive is limited to 12 participants and gets full very quickly. This is a great course to take a second time if you have previously attended. Please call us at 415.362.3666 with a credit card number to save a seat. The French Class 500 Sutter Street, Ste. 310, SF, CA 94102 (415) 362-3666 info@frenchclass.com

June 5 or 12, 2012. PARIS BY NIGHT, taught by NICOLAS WOLFF. French language presentation: June 5; English language presentation June 12. Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera. 415.927.0960 or www.bookpassage.com for details. 6:30pm-8:30pm.

Through June 6, 2012. THE FRENCH NEW WAVE: AN INTRODUCTION. “La Nouvelle Vague” or “New Wave” cinema of the late-1950s and early 1960s was set in motion by a small group of French filmmakers who made an end-run around the mainstream film industry.It was one of the most fertile and innovative periods in the history of filmmaking, and produced a spate of groundbreaking works by artists who showed that with talent and ideas much more could be done with much less. These artists got their start working with tiny budgets (but with the welcome license to create films that did not have to appeal to a mass audience). The classic films that will be studied in this course show that sometimes money plays a less decisive role in filmmaking than artistry and creative freedom.Key early films of Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Alain Resnais, and Eric Rohmer, who could be considered forefathers of the indie, low-budget film, will be featured. Students will be exposed to the wide range of work created by these famous directors—whimsical, mysterious, sexy, poetic, experimental, revolutionary. Discussion topics will include: the history of the productions; their critical reception; how well they hold up for contemporary audiences, as well as some of the techniques they employed to make such powerful films on the cheap.English-language class. Films in French with English subtitles. Professor Voorhees.Weds., 4/25 – 6/6, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.The Alliance Française de San Francisco, 1345 Bush Street.5/2 “Contempt” by Jean-Luc Godard;5/9 A night of three short films: “The Bakery Girl of Monceau” by Eric Rohmer; “A Letter to Jane” by Jean-Luc Godard; and “Night and Fog” by Alain Resnais; 5/16 “Last Year at Marienbad” by Alain Resnais; 5/23 “The 400 Blows” by François Truffaut; 5/30 “Jules and Jim” by François Truffaut; 6/6 “My Night at Maud’s” by Eric Rohmer. http://register.asapconnected.com/Courses.aspx?CourseGroupID=5287

June 13-July 25, 2012. INNOCENTS ABROAD: AMERICAN ARTISTS IN EUROPE, 1830-1930. Taught by KERRIN MEIS. Including the stories of those who left America to live in Paris. Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera. 415.927.0960 or www.bookpassage.com for details.

June 19-29, 2012. WATERCOLOR & WINE. Art study travel class with daily painting workshop (taught by CAROL DUCHAMP), luxury accommodations, meals and excursions. Hotels and painting locations have been personally scouted and chosen for their beauty and authenticity, qualities that will arouse the painting muse in all of us. Strasbourg, France. Enroll now or email for further details. More photos and information are available on our website at www.arttreks.com.

August 25, 2012. SATURDAY PRONUNCIATION INTENSIVE.Level: Intermediate to Advanced. Levels 2 to 3 may take the first 2 hours of the course if space is available. Levels 4 and 5 may take the entire course upon level assessment. Please call us to schedule an evaluation. Presented by Dominique Brémond. $85. Includes handouts. Snacks & drinks (including wine and cheese) provided during the breaks. A unique approach to French pronunciation. This workshop will change your understanding of French sounds forever and will definitely improve your pronunciation and subsequently, your comprehension. This intensive is limited to 12 participants and gets full very quickly. This is a great course to take a second time if you have previously attended. Please call us at 415.362.3666 with a credit card number to save a seat. The French Class 500 Sutter Street, Ste. 310, SF, CA 94102 (415) 362-3666. info@frenchclass.com

FRENCH PRIMARY CLASS AT THE RENAISSANCE SCHOOL IN OAKLAND. The Renaissance School (TRS), a private Montessori school in Oakland, California for ages 2 years old through middle school, announces it has openings in its French Primary class for children ages four and five years old, born between September 1, 2007 and August 31, 2008. Students in the French Primary class are introduced to conversational French and are conversed with and instructed at all times in both English and French. Because they are taught by native speakers, children acquire the correct accent and language patterns. The written form of the language is introduced in both languages at this level allowing the children to learn to write and read by the end of that level. At the Elementary level, students continue to develop their linguistic skills by adding Spanish, bringing to bear a genuine tri-language immersion program. The Renaissance School is believed to be the only Montessori school in the United States that offers a genuine three-language immersion program. Tours of the school are available by appointment. To schedule a tour of the school, email info@therenaisanceschool.org or call 510-531-8566. Visit: http://www.therenaissanceschool.org

ADVANCED PLACEMENT FRENCH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE SUMMER PROGRAM. No time during school year? Join our AP French language and Culture intensive summer program. If you are interested, please contact: Christine.frin@elycee.com

FRENCH TEACHERS WORKSHOPS SUMMER PROGRAM. The reactions of participants to our French teacher course were enthusiastic. Please find our Summer Program. If you are interested, please contact: Christine.frin@elycee.com

December 17-21, 2012. FIVE-DAY INTENSIVE COURSE AT THE FRENCH CLASS. $275 (or $250 if you pay before December 8) for 5 days. Registration per day ($55) or per hour ($20) may be accepted if space available. Please sign up early and call us at 415.362.3666. All levels are offered (separately), 3 hours per day. Elementary Levels use one of our books from the series "Devour French." Intermediate or advanced levels receive hand-outs for each topic: 1. Vocabulary. 2. Grammar. 3. Conversation. The course runs either in the morning (9 to 12), afternoon (1 to 4) or evening (6 to 9). 15 hours of instruction for $275. $250 if you pay before December 8. The French Class 500 Sutter Street, Ste. 310, SF, CA 94102 (415) 362-3666. info@frenchclass.com

December 20-30, 2012. THE POETICS OF WATER MEDIA PAINTING. WATERCOLOR AND FLUID ACRYLIC TECHNIQUE. Tahiti and Huahine Islands, French Polynesia. Art study travel class with daily painting workshop (taught by CAROL DUCHAMP), luxury accommodations, meals and excursions. Hotels and painting locations have been personally scouted and chosen for their beauty and authenticity, qualities that will arouse the painting muse in all of us. Enroll now or email for further details. More photos and information are available on our website at www.arttreks.com.

ECOLE MATERNELLE PETIT PETON. "Ecole Maternelle Petit Peton" French School is a new French Immersion Pre-kindergarten option for families seeking a progressive education for their pre-school aged child. Run by a French Tutor and artgallery director from Paris, the preschool provides a customized program that brings each child to the focus of a traditional French curriculum in a small group setting five students. Petit Peton French Immersion Preschool follows the Official French Education Curriculum for preschoolers and kindergarteners in SAN FRANCISCO since 2010.Petit Peton welcomes little students aged from 2 1/2 years old to 6 years old. (Petite, Moyenne Section les mâtinées et Programme du CNED pour les Grande Section les après midi). Cahier de Vie, Cahier d’Écriture, techniques de peinture des artistes modernes et contemporains pour tous les élèves.Petit Peton offers a Summer Camp from 4 to 6 years old (programme féerique autour des classiques français comme Peau d’Âne, Bécassine, les Barbapapas, Emilie Jolie ... Ambiance théâtraleà ne pas manquer !) and Private Piano Class in French.Petit Peton French Immersion PreSchool has a structured curriculum in place to ensure our children are prepared for Kindergarten and 1st Grade,French CP.Website : www.frenchschoolpp.comContact : Delphine Pilarski at 415 867 8418. A Bientôt !

FRENCH CLASSES TAUGHT BY NATIVE SPEAKER NICOLE COLLINS AT THE ORINDA COMMUNITY CENTER (EAST BAY). Through the Community Center in Orinda, I teach French conversation classes for adults. I offer beginning, intermediate, and advanced classes four quarters a year. Fall, winter, and spring quarters are 10 to 12 weeks long, and summer quarters are 5 to 6 weeks long. I have been teaching French conversation classes since 1997.My mission is to create a friendly and relaxed experience for people to learn or brush-up, the way French is spoken today. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nicole-language/184446598303358 or http://www.nicolelanguage.com for details.

CHOUCHOU ~ FRENCH PLAY GROUP. Kids play smarter, make friends and learn French! Chouchou is a fun structured language-immersion play group geared for children 1-4 years of age. This interactive class presents material multi-modally through picture books, stories, art, songs and movement. French beginners are welcome. www.seesawsf.com for details.

FRENCH PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN IN THE BAY AREA. Do you want to offer your child the opportunity to grow and learn? Do you dream of offering your child the chance to be bilingual? You can give your child this opportunity with affordable, local French classes starting in 2012. Education Francaise Bay Area (EFBA) is a non-profit organization focused on high quality, affordable French courses and serves families through 19 public school locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. EFBA is supported by the French government. Course registrations are open for January 2012; enroll your child today at www.efba.us .

SANTA ROSA FRENCH-AMERICAN CHARTER SCHOOL.SRFACS will open in the fall of 2012 for first through fourth grades, and will expand through the eighth grade in the future. This information is being provided as a courtesy to you. There is no affiliation between SRFACS (Santa Rosa French-American Charter School) and AFSR (Alliance Française de Santa Rosa). For more information about the Charter School, please contact Nas Salamati: info@srfacs.org If interested in sending your children to SRFACS, please sign the SRFACS Petition and send it to: SRFACS (Santa Rosa French-American Charter School) 2097 Stagecoach Rd, Suite 220 Santa Rosa, CA 95404 US On Friday the 8th of April 2011, Jacqueline Lindenfeld and I attended an informational meeting about a proposed Santa Rosa French-American Charter School known as SRFACS. This meeting was well attended, and we were impressed by the presenters who are leaders in the community in the fields of education and health/nutrition. Other members are leaders in the fields of communications and engineering. SRFACS will open in the fall of 2012 for first through fourth grades, and will expand through the eighth grade in the future. Their goal is to offer children a solid education based on high academic standards and exposure to the global world. The dual-immersion French-American Charter School curriculum will employ a formula with a proven track record in private schools, and more recently, in charter schools on the East Coast. This opportunity will now be extended to everyone in our community via a free public charter school. Any parent interested in having their child enrolled in a charter school focused on academic excellence with an opening to the global world is a parent SRFACS would love to have. There are no enrollment ‘requirements’ (speaking French for example), and that is one of the great strengths of this school. SRFACS is currently gathering signatures of parents interested in enrolling their children. You may contact this organization at: info@srfacs.org, or sign the petition above and mail it in. Lise Melin Directrice de l’école @ AFSR.

"CHOUCHOU" ~ FRENCH FOR TODDLERS AT SEESAW CAFÉ. French for toddlers (weekly classes)Parents come connect while your kids play, make new friends and learn in French! Chouchou is a fun and structured language-immersion play group for children 1 - 5 years of age. This playful and interactive class is led by Vanessa Portois-Wermter. Material is presented multi-modally through picture books, stories, art, songs and dancing. French language fluency is not required but French will be spoken 90% of the time. Let the little ones explore and laugh as they learn about animals, instruments, food, feelings, body parts and more! Wednesdays 10.30am to 11.30am - WeeklyPre-registration required.Tuition for 4 sessions is $100 | 1 session is $30. To learn more email vanessa at vanessa.portois@gmail.com and to register, visit seesawsf.com. Seesaw Cafe (? 1.415.553.8070 - 600A Octavia St.) http://seesawsf.com/workshops.php

NEW CLASSES AT eLYCEE. Openings :AP Classes : Tuesday and Thursday – 7pm eastern time; Maintien de la langue : A1 to C2 (ask for schedule); French Teacher training : on Saturdays. Also: 11 yr old and 13 yr old students are looking for classmates.A colleague, Teacher of French, has two kids who know and understand some words in French and would like them to perform in French.eLycée agrees to open a class for each student if we find at least to more kids around that age. If you are interested, please contact me : Christine.frin@elycee.com Classes on weekend - one hour a week - $25/h

Wednesdays & Fridays. FRENCH FOR FREE AT THE FRENCH CLASS. Please note: French for Free IS NOT A CLASS. It is a free conversation group open to people who speak some French and would like to practice. Everyone is welcome. Being enrolled in one of our classes is NOT required. Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. Fridays from 12:00 to 12:45 p.m. The French Class, 500 Sutter Street, Ste. 310, SF, CA 94102. (415) 362-3666. info@frenchclass.com or www.frenchclass.com for details.

PAINTING COURSES AND HOLIDAYS IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE. Join English painter and teacher Nicola on one of her fun creative courses in the Languedoc area in the south of France. Learn or improve your drawing and painting skills, how to work in watercolours ‘plein air’, or for something quite different, how to paint furniture and accessories with that French ‘Shabby Chic’ style while staying in a Château on the banks of Le Canal du Midi. Every year Nicola hosts a variety of courses and holidays in both the Languedoc and Provence and can be booked by private groups. www.painting-holidays-france.com

FRENCH FOR FUN - Lafayette, California We have been teaching in the San Francisco East Bay for over 30 years, and we attribute our success to our unique teaching style. Madame Catherine Jolivet, a native of France, is the visionary founder, educator, and leader of the program. The curriculum is a synthesis of the best educational methods - from Montessori to the Project Approach! Academics and the Arts are woven together, and the result is a program that prepares children with skills that lay a foundation for elementary school success. By fostering a sense of fun and adventure our students will discover and develop language and cultural communication skills to empower them as responsible global citizens. Our Early Childhood Program is licensed through the California Department of Social Services, and our After School Program was recently awarded Heritage School status. Early Childhood Classes and most Elementary School Classes take place in a Total Immersion Environment. To reach French For Fun, please phone 925-283-9822 or stop by 3468 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite B100, Lafayette CA 94549 (in the Corporate Terrace Office Complex).

WORKING IN FRANCE. Online presentation on the topic of working in France, presented by Laurence Raybois, a consultant specialized in assisting Americans wishing to work/live in France. The presentation costs $20 and lasts about one hour. It comes complete with handouts and a free 15-minute follow-up consultation with Laurence Raybois. It covers visas/cartes de séjour, regulated professions, how EU regulations may be used to work in France and the rights of accompanying family members, among many topics. http://www.americansmovingtofrance.com

NEW CLASSES FOR SUMMER at the ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE DE BERKELEY. Come and enjoy our current and new classes such as; “Révision”, “Cours intensif”, “Conversation”, “lecture”,”chansons” … Please see our schedules for beginners, intermediate, or advanced classes. To register please call 510 548 7481 or info@afberkeley.org

LEARN FRENCH ONLINE WITH SKYPE AND THE FRENCH CLASS. Learn, speak and practice French face to face with your teacher just like in a classroom. It's easy and very effective for students of any level, even complete beginners! Skype is FREE and VERY easy to install and use. The rates are: $20 x 20 for twenty 30 minute lessons paid in advance ($400) $25 x 10 for ten 30 minute lessons paid in advance ($250) $28 x 5 for five 30 minute lessons paid in advance ($140) $30 for one single 30 minute lesson ($30) For more information, please contact Dominiquebremond@aol.com The French Class - www.frenchclass.com 500 Sutter Street, Ste. 310, SF, CA 94102 (415) 362-3666 info@frenchclass.com

CERCLE DU LIVRE (Book Club) AT THE FRENCH CLASS. Free for The French Class members (levels 7 and 8). Meeting once a month. Either: Morning: one Monday per month at 11:00 a.m, or: Evening: one Thursday per month at 5:30 p.m.A minimum of 3 people is necessary to hold the Book Club. Please call in advance: (415) 362-3666 to sign up and let us know if you will be attending. Veuilllez téléphoner au 415.362.3666. The French Class, 500 Sutter Street, Ste. 310, SF, CA. 94102. 415.362.3666 or info@frenchclass.com or www.frenchclass.com for details.

FRENCH CLASSES FOR ALL AGES AND LEVELS. Taught by a native French instructor, highly qualified, ith an MA in French Language Education, and experienced. CLASSES: Help with homework, AP French Language Exam, conversation, playgroup for toddler, etc. Programme spécial offert pour enfants francophones du CP à la terminale. LOCATION: East Bay Area. For more information, or to contact me, go to: http://privatefrenchtutoring.webs.com/

LE PETIT JARDIN of San Anselmo. COME AND PLAY… LATER IN THE DAY. Le Petit Jardin of San Anselmo (Lic # 214005102) is expanding its class offerings! After nearly 3 years of wonderful success offering Toddler French every morning, we are now pleased to announce the addition of afternoon immersion sessions!! Little ones can come and play, plant in our garden, sing, dance and enjoy story time and art projects ALL IN FRENCH! Class size will be kept at a 4:1 ratio, so don't delay in reserving your child's place.
WHO: Kiddies ages 18 months and older WHAT: French Immersion through contextual play and art! WHEN: Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 2:00 pm to 5:30pm WHERE: Le Petit Jardin of San Anselmo COST: $364/month (*Price includes nutritious afternoon snack and all needed course materials. As with all new enrollments, there is a one-time $50 registration fee.) Visit www.LPJkids.com for more information on Language Immersion for your child amber@LPJkids.com or tel. 415.459.3978 for details.

LA TOULZANIE. A very beautiful, historic,14th century mill in La Toulzanie (Lot,near Cahors in southwest France) is available as a very special place to offer short courses, seminars, or workshops. The price, per week (Saturday to Saturday) depends on the time of year. Nearby is a new, lovely hotel looking directly at St. Cirq Lapopie, one of France's most beautiful villages. The mill is located on (and in) the river Lot. It sleeps 5 and features the original huge hearth, circular stone staircase, and footbridge. The grand salon is a lovely room with a long, wooden table suitable for seminars. A swimming pool, 2 minutes on foot from the mill, and a rowboat and fishing gear at the mill, are included. Photos at www.latitude.org . For availability, please contact Neil Buffée at gemeaux3@wanadoo.fr.

MA PETITE ECOLE. Ma Petite École is a Family Child Care Home offering a French preschool curriculum in Santa Rosa. Emmanuelle Benefield, a native of France, directs an “école maternelle” program (petite, moyenne et grande sections) for children from the age of two through kindergarten. The friendly, supportive environment allows children to have fun learning and thrive as individuals. For details, please contact Emmanuelle at (707) 579-2669. www.ma-petite-ecole.com

eLYCEE WORKSHOPS. eLycée offers workshops for teachers of French who sign in from anywhere to work with native French teachers, using shared applications and resources, in a unique 'virtual classroom'. Easy to attend, easy to subscribe: each workshop is independent; you may build your own program and schedule. Certificate is provided at the end of the training. Meet with colleagues: bring your stories, share and take part in discussions on a new style of teaching, rich with multimedia documents, focused on participation, collaboration and interaction and restock on ideas for your classes. *Examples of workshop titles*: I can watch an interview and get everything!- Mais de quoi tu causes ? (K’eske tu dis ??) - Spend you class at the Louvre - Work with dictionaries - French movies Fairy tails - , la BD - OULIPO, l’écriture sous contrainte – la France et ses régions - La mode - Avoir l’eau à la bouche ! - La Fontaine et ses fables - French poetry… Rejoignez-nous ! Contact : Christine at Christine.frin@elycee.com

FRENCH LANGUAGE WITH JOY. Private lessons and group-based language instruction serving Marin & San Francisco since 1975. Taught by BARBARA ZEIDMAN, M.A. California State Licensed Community College French Instructor. 415.479.2100 for details.

TUTORING FOR MATH & SCIENCE – IN FRENCH! I graduated from La Perouse in 2007 with a Scientific Baccalaureat. I'm a Junior student in SRJC in organic chemistry, and have completed a summer internship in the Buck Institute. I give math, chemistry and physics tutoring for every level. Have 3 years of experience, good connections with students and satisfied results. Can meet at the students home or at your convenience. For more information, please feel free to contact me at awad.pierre@gmail.com or tel 415 408 1041.

FRENCH WINE CLASSES. The French Wine Society is offering French wine classes in San Francisco. Each class will be an in-depth lecture of a particular region including a tasting of six carefully selected fine wines to illustrate the regions character. These classes should not be missed. They represent a unique opportunity to increase your knowledge and enjoyment of French wine. Eric Lecours, Regional Director of the French Wine Society Bay Area, will be instructing the classes. He is a Certified Wine Educator and holds a Diploma in Wine & Spirits from the WSET. He is also one of only 20 Americans to be certified by the region of Bordeaux as an official instructor, having been sponsored by the Bordeaux Wine Council to attend a weeklong educational program in Bordeaux last year. He continues his studies and is working toward his Masters of Wine, the most respected qualification in the Wine Industry. For more information and registration: http://www.frenchwinesociety.org

COOKING CLASSES IN FRANCE OFFERED BY FORMER BAY AREA RESIDENT Philippe Gion. http://www.ArtandCookingClassesinFrance.com Philippe Gion was a resident of San Francisco from 1986 to 2001, then time shared between the US and Provence. Owner & chef of the restaurant "Café Landais" (1986-1990) then, manager of the restaurant of the "Alliance Fançaise,” he was also Executive Chef at Stanford University ("East House Residency", 1997- 2000). He was a member of the Board of Director at the "Lycée Français Lapérouse" (1988-1991) and creator of the first French Ciné-Club in San Francisco ("Alliance Française Ciné-Club" with the partnership of the Lycée Français). In 1996, Philippe Gion founded "Art and Cooking Classes in France" dedicated to bringing to our Anglo-Saxons friends and gourmets the best of the joie de vivre in France and, most of all, an attractive approach of the traditional French gastronomy in Provence.

PARIS VERSION A LA FRANCAISE. Week-long French Culture and Language Seminar in Paris, various dates available. Enjoy speaking French in unknown and new Parisian surroundings : French classes in the morning, cultural and gourmet workshops or strolls through the real Paris in the afternoon. Paris Version à la Française ; http://www.parisvf.com for more details.

FRENCH CLASSES FOR LITTLE ONES IN SAN FRANCISCO. Contact: Jean et Marie store & Maisonette Playroom : Coordonnées: 510.759.1224 - ingrid@maisonettesf.com. Jean et Marie is proud to announce to offer its French immersion program for kids in its playroom, Maisonette. Language study is best started when very young, and that's why we decided to offer this opportunity to little ones as young as 2. Activities for each hour-and-a-half class include games, singing and dancing, puppets, drawing, and storytelling, all in French. For more information, come by the store, at 100 Clement Street, see: www.maisonettesf.com or call 510.759.1224.

THE INTERNATIONAL FRENCH CLUB. Going to France soon or you want to speak French like a French person? Join the International French Club. Savoir faire. Besides text and exercise books, all classes include the use of material that will expose you to the wide variety of the French-speaking world; among others, French news, French movies, novels, songs and cartoons. You will also be invited to participate in team work, games and role-plays that will express what you have learned. Free evaluation. Before signing up for a class, we will schedule a meeting to evaluate your writing and oral level, and to listen to your objectives in order to place you in the appropriate class and level. Contact Nathalie today at: 415.756.2531 info@ifrenchclub.com Beginner Classes :: Intermediate Classes :: Advanced Classes

FRENCH LANGUAGE INSTITUTE. Learn French at your own pace. French for children, adults and corporate in private or small classes. French Language Institut offers flexibility, fun, customized programs, library, newest educative material, CNED, craft sessions, trip to France and much more! Visit us @ http://www.FL-Institut.com or write to frenchteachers@siliconfrench.com.

LANGUAGES INSTITUTE INC. Languages Institute Inc. is comprised of a team of 8 experienced teachers. All our teachers are native French speakers, passionate about the language and earned a Bachelor or Master's degree. They have much experience to make your learning fun, pleasant and efficient! 1100 East Hamilton Avenue, #3, Campbell, CA. 408.377.1113 or 408.833.9620 or Info@Frenchin.Org or http://www.frenchin.org

June 1-3, 2012. GRAND ILLUSION. Continuing a year-long celebration of the Castro Theatre's 90th anniversary, the Castro is honored to present spectacular new restorations of two internationally acclaimed masterworks of French cinema: a return three-day engagement of 1945 epic CHILDREN OF PARADISE (LES ENFANTS DU PARADIS), and a debut presentation of a new 35mm print of the 1937 classic GRAND ILLUSION. These historic new restorations will be presented on the theatre's grand screen for two weekends only — CHILDREN OF PARADISE on Friday, May 19–21, and GRAND ILLUSION on June 1–3, 2012. A close second on the Academy’s list was Jean Renoir’s GRAND ILLUSION, the first foreign film to receive a Best Picture nomination, and considered by critics worldwide to be one of the greatest films of all time. Starring Jean Gabin and Erich von Stroheim, this thrilling WWI-era tale is partly based on stories of the flying ace who saved Renoir’s life. A stirring celebration of humanity and brotherhood across the borders of class and nations, a film that Franklin D. Roosevelt said “all the democracies of the world must see,” GRAND ILLUSION was declared “Cinematic Public Enemy No. 1” by Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels. During the Occupation, the camera negative was confiscated by the Nazis, and was thought to be lost forever — until its miraculous discovery in the late ‘90s. The new 35mm print was created from a complete 4K digital restoration of the original nitrate negative. Friday, June 1 – Sunday, June 3: GRAND ILLUSION Fri 7:00, 9:20; Sat & Sun (2:00), 4:30, 7:00, 9:20 1937 | 114 min | 35mm The Castro's Mighty Wurlitzer Organ is played before each evening show. Tickets are available at the Castro box office, 429 Castro Street. Ticket prices are $10 for adults; $7.50 for children and seniors.

June 2, 2012. ANNE WILLAN, founder of the LaVARENNE COOKING SCHOOL presents THE COOKBOOK LIBRARY. Friend of everyone from Julia Child to Amanda Hesser, she also has an unusually large personal collection of antiquarian cookbooks, over 400 volumes dating as far back as 1491 and assembled with her husband over the course of the last 50 years. In her new book, The Cookbook Library: Four Centuries of the Cooks, Writers, and Recipes That Made the Modern Cookbook, she explores the origin of the modern cookbook, which dates back to the invention of printing, and she offers a comprehensive look at life in and out of the kitchen, guiding readers through four centuries of European and early American cuisine. From the opulent banquet halls of the Burgundian dukes to the tables of simple English countrymen and American settlers, Willan explores the religious, economic and political crosscurrents that influenced their meals. She traces the development of recipes over time, and updates these recipes for the modern kitchen. This project is a deeply personal labor of love, a fascinating tour through culinary history and book collecting. Omnivore Books, 3pm.

June 2, 2012. SATURDAY PRONUNCIATION INTENSIVE.Level: Intermediate to Advanced. Levels 2 to 3 may take the first 2 hours of the course if space is available. Levels 4 and 5 may take the entire course upon level assessment. Please call us to schedule an evaluation. Presented by Dominique Brémond. $85. Includes handouts. Snacks & drinks (including wine and cheese) provided during the breaks. A unique approach to French pronunciation. This workshop will change your understanding of French sounds forever and will definitely improve your pronunciation and subsequently, your comprehension. This intensive is limited to 12 participants and gets full very quickly. This is a great course to take a second time if you have previously attended. Please call us at 415.362.3666 with a credit card number to save a seat. The French Class 500 Sutter Street, Ste. 310, SF, CA 94102 (415) 362-3666. info@frenchclass.com

June 3, 2012. ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE DE SANTA ROSA presents DUE ZIGHI BACI at LA FETE DE LA MUSIQUE. The origin of this one-day festival began in the late 1970s when Joel Cohen, an American working for French national radio, envisioned a “world music day” that celebrated the diversity of all music. The first festival took place in Paris in 1982 on the Summer Solstice, June 21st. Now in its 30th year around the world, the Alliance Française in Santa Rosa will mark this anniversary with a concert of French music performed by Due Zighi Baci, a dynamic duo consisting of tenor and accordion. Their concert program celebrates the diversity and varied expression of French chanson. Drawing on some of the best examples from a wide variety of composers, their authentic renderings will span from the early 1910s through the 1970s. Some of the featured composers include Charles Aznavour , Jacque Brel, Charles Trenet , Serge Gainsbourg , Arstide Bruant, Vincent Scotto, Marguerite Monnot, , Norbert Glanzberg, Gilbert Bécaud, and Francis Lai, among others. Much of the music has either debuted on a Parisian street, in a cabaret, café, dance hall or concert hall. Each song conveys the beauty, mystery, and alluring charm in its melody and harmonies; in addition, each selection of the multimedia concert will be accompanied by a video presentation to complement the songs.*Due Zighi Baci (Two Gypsy Kisses) DEW-ee ZIG-gee BOTCH-ee. Vista Del Lago Recreation Center, 3150 Lakeview Dr., Santa Rosa. Doors open: 6:30P Concert: 7:00P Due Zighi Baci* Michael Van Why, tenor and Sheri Mignano, accordion. Admission charge: $10 members and students; $12 non-members at the door. Limited Seating. Includes wine and cheese mixer during intermission. Websites: www.sralliance.org or www.EuroCafeMusic.com .

June 4, 2012. ANNE WILLAN, founder of the LaVARENNE COOKING SCHOOL presents THE COOKBOOK LIBRARY. Friend of everyone from Julia Child to Amanda Hesser, she also has an unusually large personal collection of antiquarian cookbooks, over 400 volumes dating as far back as 1491 and assembled with her husband over the course of the last 50 years. In her new book, The Cookbook Library: Four Centuries of the Cooks, Writers, and Recipes That Made the Modern Cookbook, she explores the origin of the modern cookbook, which dates back to the invention of printing, and she offers a comprehensive look at life in and out of the kitchen, guiding readers through four centuries of European and early American cuisine. From the opulent banquet halls of the Burgundian dukes to the tables of simple English countrymen and American settlers, Willan explores the religious, economic and political crosscurrents that influenced their meals. She traces the development of recipes over time, and updates these recipes for the modern kitchen. This project is a deeply personal labor of love, a fascinating tour through culinary history and book collecting. The Commonwealth Club, 12pm.

June 4, 2012. DBF avec DALI KILANI, Product Management leader at Zynga, Entrepreneur, Angel Investor. Dali joined Zynga in early 2010. He is currently fostering the adoption of HTML5 at the company and owns the internally developed state of the art HTML5 technology stack enabling game development across web and mobile devices. Priori to that, he held various positions at Zynga including CTO - External Publishing supporting the recent 3rd party publishing engagements announced at the Zynga.com platform launch, and Head of Engineering for Farmville, the most successful social game ever, and this during its most aggressive growth phase (reaching 30+M Daily Active Users). On his watch, Farmville delivered record breaking revenues for 4 consecutive quarters and therefore validated the free-to-play social gaming business model that Zynga had pioneered. His Farmville operational responsibility included the largest single application cloud deployment on Amazon EC2 at the time, totaling almost 10 thousand servers. Before Zynga, Dali held various technology and product leadership positions at multiple bay area companies including Ciena (Optical Networking), Nvidia (Graphics and Mobile Divisions), PanoLogic (Virtualization) and eBay (eCommerce). He also founded HappData (Big Data) in 2009. Dali is an active member of the silicon valley entrepreneurial community as an angel investor and an advisor. Depuis 1994, le premier lundi du mois, les francophones de la Baie se réunissent autour d'un buffet arrosé de vins français et d'un invité dont la présentation est ponctuée par les questions de Jean-Louis Gassee et de l'assistance. Pour chacun, c'est aussi l'occasion de faire de nouvelles connaissances et d'échanger idées et contacts avec d'autres francophones. Sofitel San Francisco Bay 223 Twin Dolphin Drive Redwood City, CA 94065 6.30pm-9pm Achat par Paypal et Membres de la Faccsf $25; Achat sur Place $30. www.faccsf.com

June 5, 2012. DOCENT LECTURE on THE FASHION WORLD OF JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER: FROM SIDEWALK TO CATWALK. De Young Museum. www.famsf.org for details. 1pm.

June 6, 2012. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY BAROQUE CHAMBER ENSEMBLE performs music by COUPERIN and more. Young Performers Festival, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 2300 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. 11am and 2:30pm concerts. Open to the public, with a suggested $10 donation at the door. No tickets will be sold in advance. 888.722.5288 or www.earlymusic.org for details.

June 6, 2012. BERKELEY EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL MAIN STAGE presents 300 YEARS ON: A DANCE COLLECTION FROM THE REIGN OF LOUIS XIV. 8 pm. Instrumentalists of Musica Pacifica and dancers in full Baroque costume, led by Baroque dance specialist Linda Tomko, join forces to bring to the stage choreographies and their music from the 1712/13 Recueil de Dance,a dazzling collection of dances from the last decades of Louis XIV's reign. Celebrating the 300th anniversary of the Recueil, the program showcases music of Marais, Campra, Lully, and Destouches, as well as one of Telemann's delightful "Paris" Quartets. First Congregational Church, Dana and Durant Sts. Berkeley. http://www.musicapacifica.org/concert_schedule.html for details.

June 6, 2012 COCOROSIE. CocoRosie was formed in Paris, France by American sisters Bianca Casady (Coco) and Sierra Casady (Rosie). Their music has described as indie, hip-hop, pop, blues, opera, and electronic music. They find duality between their unique vocal stylings, expanding those differences and playing music that expresses the inner and outer world of the characters in their songs. June 6 - The Regency Ballroom - San Francisco, CA; June 7- Rio Theatre - Santa Cruz, CA. http://www.songkick.com/artists/476377-cocorosie for details.

June 7, 2012. FRENCH AMERICAN CULTURAL SOCIETY FUNDRAISING EVENT. The French American Cultural Society requests the pleasure of your company at the exceptional photography exhibition hosted by the Consul General of France, and Mrs. Laura Serman at their residence. 2570 Jackson Street, San Francisco Exhibit by French local photographer : Regis Vincent Part of the proceeds will benefit the French American Cultural Society. 7pm-9pm. R.S.V.P by May 31, 2012 Email: contact@facs-sf.org Phone: (415) 591-4802 http://www.facs-sf.org/

June 7-10, 2012. 142 THROCKMORTON THEATRE presents DJANGOFEST MILL VALLEY. DjangoFest Mill Valley,June 7-10, 2012 - now in our seventh year! Join us and other Gypsy Jazz fans, players and enthusiasts from around the world for a four-day festival celebrating the music and spirit of the great French/Belgian Gypsy guitarist, Django Reinhardt. Attend a series of concerts, workshops and impromptu 'djam' sessions featuring top internationally renowned players mixing it up with local stars and aficionados of the genre. We have an stellar lineup this year, featuring Europe's premier Gypsy Jazz ensemble the Rosenberg Trio along with a staggering array of acts, guaranteed to put on an astonishing display of musical virtuosity, including The Lost Fingers from Montreal whose first cd "Lost in the 80's", featuring such hits as 'Tainted Love' and 'You shook Me' done Django style, is a double platinum seller. The festivities take place at 142 Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley, just across the Golden Gate bridge from San Francisco, California, in beautiful Marin county. And in addition we've added a series of shows at the newly renovated, much anticipated and world famous Sweetwater Music Hall, (sweetwatermusichall.com) including an All Star Pro Djam hosted by Alfonso Ponticelli and featuring festival favorites and some very special guests. It's just a short stroll from the 142 Throckmorton. Food is a available. Reservations are recommended. Be sure to check the special 6:00pm concerts with Gonzalo Bergara and Robin Nolan. Also, for all you 'djammers' there will be an open djam or two going on before and after the show at Vasco Mill Valley (vascomillvalley.com) a great little Italian restaurant situated between the 142 Throckmorton and theSweetwater. DjangoFest Mill Valley 2012 is proud to present: The Rosenberg Trio
The Lost Fingers
Paulus Schafer with Tim Kliphuis
Gonzalo Bergara Quartet
Robin Nolan
Antoine and Sebastien Boyer
Alfonso Ponticelli with Tony Ballog
Jimmy Luttrell Trio
Jimmy Grant Quartet. http://www.djangofest.com/sf/home.htm

June 8, 2012. CELEBRATING GAULTIER – CORSETS WITH DARK GARDEN. With a showing of TRUTH OR DARE, costumes by Gaultier. Friday Nights at the de Young, 5pm-8:45pm. www.famsf.org for details.

June 8, 2012. LE SALAIRE DE LA PEUR / THE WAGES OF FEAR (1953), by French master of suspense HENRI-GEORGES CLOUZOT opens an exclusive San Francisco engagement – in 35mm at the San Francisco Film Society Cinema. A new 35 mm print of Henri-Georges Clouzot's The Wages of Fear (Le salaire de la peur France/Italy 1953) -- a riveting study of desperation, existential despair, fraternal bonding and corporate greed all wrapped up in a gritty action movie -- opens an exclusive San Francisco engagement June 8 at San Francisco Film Society Cinema (1746 Post Street). In a squalid South American oil town, four desperate men sign on for a suicide mission to drive trucks loaded with nitroglycerin over a treacherous mountain route. As they ferry their explosive cargo to a faraway oil fire, each bump and jolt tests their courage, their friendship and their nerves. The result is one of the greatest thrillers ever committed to celluloid, a white-knuckle ride from France's legendary master of suspense and the winner of the 1953 Cannes Palme d'Or. This new print was created from a complete HD digital restoration completed by the Criterion Collection. Written by Henri-Georges Clouzot, Jérôme Géronimi. Photographed by Armand Thirard With Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Peter van Eyck. In French with subtitles. 147 min. Distributed by Janus Films. Showtimes 2:30, 5:30, 8:30 pm. Tickets $9 for SFFS members, $11 general, $10 senior/student/disabled. Box office opens May 23 online at www.sffs.org and in person at SF Film Society Cinema.

June 9, 2012. DIXON LONG discusses MARKETS OF PARIS, second edition. The food scenes of Paris have changed dramatically since 2006. Long describes how many of these markets have undergone a transformation that has been led by a new generation focused on local and organic produce. Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera. 415.927.0960 or www.bookpassage.com for details. 4pm.

June 10, 2012. DOCENT LECTURE on THE FASHION WORLD OF JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER: FROM SIDEWALK TO CATWALK. De Young Museum. www.famsf.org for details. 2:15pm.

June 10, 2012. DOCENT LECTURE on CARTIER: KING OF JEWELERS, JEWELER OF KINGS. Legion of Honor, SF. www.famsf.org. 2:15pm.

June 10, 2012. TINARIWEN performs in the Spring 2012 SFJAZZ season. www.sfjazz.org or 866.920.5299 for details.

June 11, 2012. AMBASSADOR’S GALA DINNER. The French American Chamber of Commerce in San Francisco, in partnership with the Consulate General of France, is honored to host a Gala Dinner welcoming the Ambassador of France. This upscale and very private event will take place on June,11th at the Sofitel San Francisco Bay in Redwood City. After a refreshing cocktail punctuated by a speech from His Excellency François Delattre, the 100 invitees will attend the dinner. The Ambassador will attend 4 different tables during the dinner to closely interact with the local business community and better understand business, investment and entrepreneurship issues in Northern California. Only few tickets left to attend this prestigious dinner. We will give priority to Faccsf members. Cocktail registration is now open! Cocktail : 6.30PM-8.15PM Dinner starts at 8.30PM. Dinner & Cocktail $200
(Members and Non-Members). Cocktail only Members $45 Non-Members $60 Places are limited! Directions Sofitel San Francisco bay 223 twin Dolphin Drive Redwood City, CA 94065. http://faccsf.com/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=269

June 11-14, 2012. MARC-ANDRE HAMELIN performs with the NORWEGIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA and the SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY, including music by DEBUSSY on June 14. http://calperformances.org or 510.642.9988 for details.

June 11-16, 2012. LEFT BANK BRASSERIES CELEBRATE LA FETE DU COCHON. The Bay Area Left Bank Brasseries in Larkspur, San Jose and Menlo Park will be celebrating La Fête du Cochon from Monday, June 11 through Saturday, June 16. La Fête du Cochon is a traditional festival held in France which honors the many classic dishes prepared using pig. Each Left Bank location, in addition to their regular menu, will feature lunch and dinner a la carte specials in the spirit of the occasion. For specials at each of the Left Bank locations, see www.leftbank.com. Left Bank Larkspur 507 Magnolia Avenue Larkspur, CA 94939 (415) 927-3331 Left Bank San Jose 377 Santana Row, Suite 1100 San Jose, CA 95128 (408) 984-3500 Left Bank Menlo Park 635 Santa Cruz Avenue Menlo Park, CA 94025 (650) 473-6543.

June 12, 2012. ROSECRANS BALDWIN reads from PARIS, I LOVE YOU BUT YOU’RE BRINGING ME DOWN. The author, a self-described Francophile, dreamed of living in Paris—drinking le café, eating les croissants, walking in les jardins—despite the fact that he wasn’t exactly fluent in French and was ill-prepared to earn a living in the French city. Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera. 415.927.0960 or www.bookpassage.com for details. 7pm.

June 14, 2012. C.W. GORTNER discusses THE QUEEN’S VOW: A NOVEL OF ISABELLA OF CASTILE. An evocative, vividly imagined novel about one of history’s most famous and controversial queens—the warrior who united a fractured country, the champion of the faith whose reign gave rise to the Inquisition, and the visionary who sent Columbus to discover a New World. Acclaimed author C. W. Gortner envisages the turbulent early years of a woman whose mythic rise to power would go on to transform a monarchy, a nation, and the world.
Young Isabella is barely a teenager when she and her brother are taken from their mother’s home to live under the watchful eye of their half-brother, King Enrique, and his sultry, conniving queen. There, Isabella is thrust into danger when she becomes an unwitting pawn in a plot to dethrone Enrique. Suspected of treason and held captive, she treads a perilous path, torn between loyalties, until at age seventeen she suddenly finds herself heiress of Castile, the largest kingdom in Spain. Plunged into a deadly conflict to secure her crown, she is determined to wed the one man she loves yet who is forbidden to her—Fernando, prince of Aragon.
As they unite their two realms under “one crown, one country, one faith,” Isabella and Fernando face an impoverished Spain beset by enemies. With the future of her throne at stake, Isabella resists the zealous demands of the inquisitor Torquemada even as she is seduced by the dreams of an enigmatic navigator named Columbus. But when the Moors of the southern domain of Granada declare war, a violent, treacherous battle against an ancient adversary erupts, one that will test all of Isabella’s resolve, her courage, and her tenacious belief in her destiny.
From the glorious palaces of Segovia to the battlefields of Granada and the intrigue-laden gardens of Seville, The Queen’s Vow sweeps us into the tumultuous forging of a nation and the complex, fascinating heart of the woman who overcame all odds to become Isabella of Castile. 80 West Portal, San Francisco, CA 94127 | (415) 564-8080. www.bookshopwestportal.com

Opening June 15, 2012. THE WOMAN IN THE FIFTH (Pawlikowski, 2011).
Kristin Scott Thomas and Ethan Hawke Imbue Devious Story Set in Paris's Fifth Arrondissement with Chemistry that Is Oedipal, Spiteful and Sexy. Pawel Pawlikowski's riveting drama The Woman in the Fifth (France/Poland/England 2011), starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Ethan Hawke, opens an exclusive San Francisco engagement June 15 at San Francisco Film Society Cinema (1746 Post Street). In this unsettling thriller set in Paris's little-seen Fifth Arrondissement, an unhappy American writer attempts to mend fences with his wife and young daughter but instead falls under the spell of a mysterious woman. Soon after arriving in the City of Light, author Tom Ricks (Ethan Hawke) is robbed and forced to stay in a dingy hotel where he's given a strange and covert job. When he subsequently meets the beguiling translator Margit (Kristen Scott Thomas), she spurs him to start writing again, but nightmarish hallucinations haunt his hours. As the plot thickens and the writer's mental instability grows, enigmatic subsidiary characters offer tantalizing clues to his predicament. With creepy visuals and dark humor, this adaptation of Douglas Kennedy's international bestseller offers intelligent chills, subtle performances and the most beautiful locale in the world. Written by Pawel Pawlikowski. Photographed by Ryszard Lenczewski. With Kristin Scott Thomas, Ethan Hawke, Joanna Kulig, Samir Guesmi. In English and French with subtitles. 83 min. Distributed by ATO Pictures. Tickets $9 for SFFS members, $11 general, $10 senior/student/disabled. Box office now open online and in person at SF Film Society Cinema. www.sffs.org for details.

June 15, 2012. ANOTHER NIGHT IN TREME. New Orleans music legends and stars of the blockbuster HBO series TREME bring another rollicking night of Crescent City Sounds! San Francisco Jazz Festival, www.sfjazz.org for details. Paramount Theatre, Oakland.

June 15-25, 2012. 11TH SACRAMENTO FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL at the Crest Theatre. Support the Festival, spread the word! Merci. 11th SFFF, June 15-24, 2012 - Crest Theatre.www.SacramentoFrenchFilmFestival.org

June 16, 2012. TOM RIGNEY & FLAMBEAU play at Isleton Cajun Festival, Isleton. We return to this great annual street festival! Last year was a blast, so don't miss it! Downtown Isleton. We play on the Icehouse Stage, Main Street, Isleton. 5:30-7:00 pm. Information: www.cajunfestivalisleton.com Or, www.rigomania.com

June 17, 2012. PALO ALTO WORLD MUSIC DAY – FETE DE LA MUSIQUE. The Palo Alto City Council has declared Sunday June 17 as World Music Day. World Music Day is a free music festival that takes place in cities around the world every year close to the Summer Solstice. In Palo Alto, 50 professional and amateur musical groups will perform a wide variety of musical genres: jazz, blues, pop, rock, classical, world music, choral, dances, etc. All performances will be FREE and open to the public. Last year the event attracted 21,000 people from all over the Bay Area! This is a fun and unique family event, a great way to spend Father’s Day. Do not miss the greatest party ever Downtown Palo Alto, book the date now and tell all your friends! New this year: Dancing in the streets of Palo Alto! Irish dancing, tango (demonstration, lesson, and milonga – a tango dance party), flamenco, 21 Mexican folkloric dancers…and YOU, to the tunes of dance music bands on King Plaza. 3:00-7:30 pm, on University Avenue (CLOSED between Webster and High) and King Plaza (City Hall). For more information please visit www.pamusicday.org.

June 20, 2012. FRANCINE DU PLESSIX GRAY presents THE QUEEN’S LOVER, a work of historical fiction that tells the story of a love affair between MARIE ANTOINETTE and a Sweedish aristocrat. Expertly researched and deeply imagined, her new novel offers a fresh view of the French Revolution and the French royal family. Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera. 415.927.0960 or www.bookpassage.com for details. 7pm.

June 23, 2012. LA FETE DE LA MUSIQUE A L’ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE DE SAN FRANCISCO. Come be part of this 30 year old French tradition. This event is free admission with donations. There will be food, drinks and lots of music. Are you a musician? Do you wish to perform? Please email Josephine at josephine@afsf.com http:// with 2 samples of your music and a short bio. www.afsf.com

June 29, 2012. CELEBRATING GAULTIER – VIVA FRIDA: FROM THE BLUE HOUSE TO THE CATWALK. Friday Nights at the de Young, 5pm-8:45pm. Also showing KIKA (1993), with costumes by Gaultier. Live music. www.famsf.org for detials.

June 30, 2012. DOCENT LECTURE on THE ART OF FRENCH FASHION. de Young Museum. www.famsf.org for details. 1pm.

June 30, 2012. DOCENT LECTURE on THE FASHION WORLD OF JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER: FROM SIDEWALK TO CATWALK. De Young Museum. www.famsf.org for details. 2:15pm.

June 30, 2012. ANITA HUGHES reads from MONARCH BEACH. When a San Francisco heiress finds her French chef husband wrapped around his sous-chef, she knows she must flee her life in order to rebuild it… Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera. 415.927.0960 or www.bookpassage.com for details. 4pm.

July 3, 2012. DOCENT LECTURE on THE FASHION WORLD OF JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER: FROM SIDEWALK TO CATWALK. De Young Museum. www.famsf.org for details. 1pm.

July 13, 2012. CELEBRATING BASTILLE DAY AT THE DE YOUNG – BAL POPULAIRE, in partnership with the ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE DE SAN FRANCISCO and the FRENCH-AMERICAN CULTURAL SOCIETY. Lecture: THE 1,000 DELIGHTS OF LIFE IN THE BASTILLE by DR. ANNE PRAH-PEROCHON, and music by LA GUINGUETTE.www.famsf.org for details. 5pm-8:45pm.

July 20, 2012. CELEBRATING GAULTIER. Friday Nights at the de Young. www.famsf.org for details. 5pm-8:45pm.

July 21, 2012. A MILLENNIUM IN 50 YEARS… THE DISCOVERY OF EARLY MODERN MUSIC. Lecture by ROBERT COMMANDAY. San Francisco Conservatory of Music, 50 Oak St., SF. 415.621.7900 or http://americanbach.org for details. 4:30pm.

July 27, 2012. TANGO PARIS! In Wilsey Court. Showing THE FIFTH ELEMENT (1997), with costumes by Gaultier. Friday Nights at the de Young, 5pm-8:45pm. www.famsf.org for details.

July 28, 2012. DOCENT LECTURE on THE FASHION WORLD OF JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER: FROM SIDEWALK TO CATWALK. De Young Museum. www.famsf.org for details. 1pm.

August 3, 2012. CELEBRATING GAULTIER – GLOBAL VILLAGE CONCERT AND DANCE PARTY. Showing THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE, AND HER LOVER (1989), with costumes by Jean-Paul Gaultier. Friday Nights at the de Young, www.famsf.org for details. 5pm-8:45pm.

August 25, 2012. SATURDAY PRONUNCIATION INTENSIVE.Level: Intermediate to Advanced. Levels 2 to 3 may take the first 2 hours of the course if space is available. Levels 4 and 5 may take the entire course upon level assessment. Please call us to schedule an evaluation. Presented by Dominique Brémond. $85. Includes handouts. Snacks & drinks (including wine and cheese) provided during the breaks. A unique approach to French pronunciation. This workshop will change your understanding of French sounds forever and will definitely improve your pronunciation and subsequently, your comprehension. This intensive is limited to 12 participants and gets full very quickly. This is a great course to take a second time if you have previously attended. Please call us at 415.362.3666 with a credit card number to save a seat. The French Class 500 Sutter Street, Ste. 310, SF, CA 94102 (415) 362-3666. info@frenchclass.com

September 8, 2012. PARIS EST UNE FETE. French American Cultural Society Gala. Maritime Museum. For more information, contact events@facs-sf.org or 415.591.4802. By invitation.

October 19-20, 2012. PARIS: AMERICAN EXPATRIATE GENIUS. Marines’ Memorial Theatre, San Francisco. Postwar Paris, with its tolerant and cosmopolitan atmosphere (and its low cost of living), attracted a startling number of America’s cultural icons to live and work among the European avant-garde in a moveable feast of creativity. The exhilaration of Paris in the 1920s and 1930s inspired talented American expatriates crossing national, cultural, and artistic boundaries to create innovative modern forms of their art. Gertrude Stein’s "Une generation perdue" living on the edge, this generation of American artistic geniuses exuberantly and profoundly influenced literature, art, filmmaking, music, dance, and theater, reshaping twentieth-century American culture. Talks include: Paris and the Making of the Modern in the Arts, Donald W. Faulkner; Performance: Virgil Thomson's Portraits, Luciano Chessa (SF Conservatory of Music); "America is my country and Paris is my hometown." Gertrude Stein: Transatlantic Artist, Mentor, and Muse; Wanda M. Corn (Art History, Stanford); "Becoming a Modern Artist": the Paris Angle. Deborah Loft (Art History, Marin College); Paris Portraits. Laura Sheppard (actress); At Home Far Away: African Americans in Paris, Tyler Stovall (History, UC Berkeley);A Literary Revolution: The Expatriate Press in Paris, Donald W. Faulkner (Director, NY State Writers Institute). For complete details:http://www.humanitieswest.org/presenters_paris.html

November 18, 2012. HUBERT KELLER speaks about SOUVENIRS in Book Passage’s COOKS WITH BOOKS series at LEFT BANK FRENCH BISTRO in Larkspur. Raised in Alsace, Keller was destined to be in the kitchen as he grew up above his father’s pâtisserie. He apprenticed under many great French chefs until he landed in San Francisco and became the chef/owner of the popular FLEUR DE LYS restaurant along with his wife Chantal and Maurice Rouas. $125 per person. www.bookpassage.com for details.

December 17-21, 2012. FIVE-DAY INTENSIVE COURSE AT THE FRENCH CLASS. $275 (or $250 if you pay before December 8) for 5 days. Registration per day ($55) or per hour ($20) may be accepted if space available. Please sign up early and call us at 415.362.3666. All levels are offered (separately), 3 hours per day. Elementary Levels use one of our books from the series "Devour French." Intermediate or advanced levels receive hand-outs for each topic: 1. Vocabulary. 2. Grammar. 3. Conversation. The course runs either in the morning (9 to 12), afternoon (1 to 4) or evening (6 to 9). 15 hours of instruction for $275. $250 if you pay before December 8. The French Class 500 Sutter Street, Ste. 310, SF, CA 94102 (415) 362-3666. info@frenchclass.com